Time Out
by Uncle Charlie
Summary: It's over, they are permanently imprisoned... now what?


For a long time he stood there, staring out at the black, star filled void, his mind racing from one thought to the next each one more inconclusive than the previous one.

"It's all over, isn't it?" Sapphire spoke softly from the table where she had gravitated, her blue dress clashing with the brilliant gaudy vinyl. "Somehow, I'd never imagined the end quite like this. To be trapped by our own people."

"It's all my fault. I should have seen it coming." Steel rested his hand against the glass, looking at both it and the faint reflection the florescent lights created.

"Steel," Sapphire's tone was reproachful. She stood, brushing the wrinkles from the dress. "I'm not blaming you for this. It was a mutual failing. Almost as if we had our eyes closed going in. We were too confident."

"I was too confident. Didn't think it was anything I couldn't handle." Steel held his temper in check for her sake. It was no use making it any worse that it already was. He went to the woman and took her hands. "Sapphire, I am truly sorry. We should have never gone in to begin with. You tried to tell me that and I wouldn't listen to you."

"But we did and there's nothing we can do about it now." She smiled warmly at the man, looking into his cool blue eyes with no anger or blame.

"Yes there is. Take time back."

"I can't. Not here."

"Why not? What's so special about this place?"

"It's our prison, Steel. It's useless to fight it. Time doesn't exist here."

"We have to try. You have to try. We put up a fight, a good fight, until now. There's no use giving in now." He took her hands, so small as they were enveloped by his.

"Steel..."

"Do it." His voice was firm, insistent, just like it had been a hundred times before.

"Help me."

He nodded, closing his eyes to concentrate, giving as much of his strength as possible to her to use, to fight the process of time, to take them back. Twenty minutes, fifteen, even ten, would be enough. Anything to prove to both of them that is was possible.

He could feel her weakening and he doubled his own efforts, but it wasn't sufficient. Even together they weren't strong enough. Sapphire sagged and the shock of the break took Steel to his knees.

"I can't, Steel, I can't take time back in a place that hasn't any."

"It's all right, Sapphire. We...I had to try." With an uncharacteristic gentleness, he laid her head on his shoulder, concentrating on recovering his own strength, cursing himself for not having more power, more specialties, like some of his fellow Agents.

"At least Silver got away," he continued, stroking her hair gently with more tenderness that he knew he was capable of. "He'll be able to warn the Agency that the TransUranics have discovered a way to escape. Maybe he'll even be able to stop them. At least our death, as it were, proves that the TransUranics are more powerful than we imagine. That they have the capabilities to violate the Time Barrier."

"Well, if I have to be trapped forever with someone, I'm glad it's you and not Silver." Sapphire pulled away, calm and composed once again. "He's nice, but I fear he'd drive me to tears eventually. Besides," she smiled and dropped her blue-eyed gaze to the floor. "He's a little demonstrative, if you know what I mean."

"Like Jet."

"I thought you liked Jet." She didn't make an attempt to move from her seat on the tile floor.

"I do, but she has a hard time keeping her mind on the job...like Silver. She was too easily distracted, by things, by people, by feelings. She kept forgetting that assuming human shape as not without its…temptations."

Sapphire drew her knees up and wrapped her arms around them. "I always wondered why you didn't have her for your partner."

"I prefer you." Steel was up, pacing the length of the small room.

"Why, Steel, that's one of the nicest things you've ever said." She smiled and rested her head. "What should we do now?"

"Do? We can't do anything. We're trapped here, just us and this room, forever."

Sapphire nodded, and then looked towards the kitchen. "Would you like something to eat or drink?"

"No, thank you." Steel was looking out the window again. "We might as well revert back to our elemental state. No use keeping up the front for just us."

Sapphire nodded and reached out a delicate hand. Steel smiled at her and grasping it, pulling her to her feet effortlessly.

She put her arms around her neck, looking into the impassionate eyes.

"Good bye, Steel."

"Good bye, Sapphire." He kissed her tenderly.

A wave of dizziness came over him, freezing him, bringing him to the point of collapse. He couldn't even open his eyes or draw a breath. Then, as sudden as it came, it was gone.

Steel opened his eyes, blinking at the brilliance of the lights. Looking at Sapphire, he noted an expression of confusion and bewilderment on her face.

"What just happened?" She finally whispered, holding him in a troubled embrace.

"Sorry, mates, had I known you were busy, I'd have waited a bit." The familiar voice that came from behind them was tinged with good humor.

Steel spun, startled to see Silver standing beside him. He shifted his gaze to the window and stared at the swaying trees. He returned to the beaming Silver, who was now rocking back and forth on his toes.

"You're obviously pleased with yourself." Steel recovered his self possessiveness.

"Why shouldn't I be? Not only did I get rid of the TransUranics, but I also get our two star players back. They may want to be rid of you, but I assure you that we still want you around...for a few more centuries at least."

"Comforting thought." Steel's comment was dry. He strode to the door, hesitated, and then yanked it open. He was met by forest and the sound of distant traffic.

"What did you do, Silver?" Sapphire walked over to him, smiling, delighted with the turn of events.

"Quite simple, really. You remember when I first dug their little time box out of the trunk of the car."

"Yes, you made a duplicate of it."

"Correct. Well, when Steel took the second box away from me...?"

"You made another copy," Steel answered. "I may have complained about that particular propensity of yours in the past, but I shall certainly think twice about it now. Is the barrier gone? Silver, is the barrier gone?"

At the lack of answer, Steel turned and the grey eyes grew cold at the sight of the man kissing Sapphire. Suddenly furious with his savior, he reached out, dropping the temperature in the limb just enough to produce an effect. When satisfied, he planted the hand firmly on the square of Silver's back.

Silver reacted as if electrocuted, gasping at the action.

"Do you mind? If you must insist on pursuing such activities, kindly do so with your own partner, not mine. Is the shield gone?"

"I was just..."

"I know what you were doing, Silver. Is the barrier gone?"

"I don't know." Silver recovered quickly from the affair. "I was more concerned with getting you back, although why is suddenly beyond me." He wasn't terribly put out with Steel's actions. He's worked with the man enough to begin to understand the relationship he had with Sapphire. Still, it was a damned peculiar way to show his appreciation.

"Sapphire?" Steel turned to the woman.

Her blue eyes glowed for a moment and then she relaxed, smiling once again. "Yes, it's gone and we're free to go. In fact, you're being looked for, Silver."

"Am I?" He was startled, obviously surprised. "Oh, well, I'd best be off then." He took a few steps, and then turned back. "It's good to have you back...even you, Steel."

They watched after him long after he'd faded from view.

"Was someone really looking for him?" Steel's tone was amused.

"Eventually, I should imagine, yes."

"That was a dirty trick, Sapphire."

"You weren't terribly kind to poor Silver yourself. After all, he did save us from an untimely retirement." She shook a finger at him in mock chastisement. She knew of the uselessness of trying to reprimand Steel the agent was far too centered for that.

Steel caught the hand, kissing it warmly. "I'd thank him to keep his amorous attention away from my partner. After all, we are a team, aren't we?"

They faded like ghosts from sight.

dne eht


End file.
